Palm Springs Vacation Information - Homes, Condos, Vacation Rentals, Sales, Local Guide

"Palm Springs Modernism evolved in Palm Springs in response to the warm dry climate, mountain vistas and beauty of the desert," says Peter Moruzzi, chairman of the Palm Springs Modern Committee, a group dedicated to preserving modern architecture. "In the 1950s and 1960s, architects adapted contemporary materials already here, along with designs, techniques, and floor plans that created the elegant informality of desert living."

In the forefront were such notable architects as Albert Frey, William Cody, Donald Wexler, E. Stewart Williams and William Krisel, whose masterworks highlight the City. Increasingly, visitors come to Palm Springs to experience the City's amazing architecture, and many are inspired to rent or buy Palm Springs Modern houses. In Palm Springs, the Mid-Century architectural style is as much of an attraction as the sunny weather, swimming pools and golf.

Palm Springs Modern design is bright, open, casual and fun, integrating indoors and outdoors. Bedrooms open onto patios and pools, and the glass walls and sweeping rooflines enable spectacular views of palm trees and mountains from inside the home.

"Palm Springs is an open-air living museum of architecture," says Robert Imber, president of PS Modern Tours, which takes visitors to the best-known Modern structures and many hidden gems of Modernism. "The true architecture of the desert really evolves from the lighting, textures and colors," adds Imber. "That's the essence of what makes Palm Springs Modern unique and special."

Mid-Century Modern architecture is now so integral to the City's identity that Palm Springs Modernism Week (February 17 - 27, 2011) has become a hugely popular annual event. Designers of contemporary furniture and decorative arts display classic designs as well as the latest innovations at the Palm Springs Convention Center -- itself a striking example of Modernist influence.

Vacation Palm Springs.com offers more than 150 fully furnished homes and condos of varying sizes and prices, most with private pools and spas, evoking Mid-Century style, while featuring today's amenities.

Palm Springs Midcentury Resources: